[Press Conference: "Announcement on Disposing HPD Property Room Items"]
[00:00:18]
TODAY, WE'RE GOING ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN IMPROVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN HOUSTON AND ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY.
THE HUGE DIFFERENCE IS THE COLLABORATION NOW BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SEAN TIER UNDERSTANDS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT I JUST DESCRIBED.
AND SO WE HAVE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY BY MAKING THE SYSTEM WORK WELL.
AND TODAY WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS PUT HIS EXPERIENCE AND HIS COMMITMENT TO A SAFER HARRIS COUNTY, INCLUDING HOUSTON, TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO BEST HANDLE THE EVIDENCE.
THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN SO MUCH EVIDENCE IS KEPT AND STORED THAT IS NO LONGER NEEDED, THAT HAS NO IMPACT ON THE RESOLUTION OF THAT CHARGE, THAT CONVICTION, OR EVEN THAT INNOCENCE.
SO TODAY WE'RE ANNOUNCING THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS GONNA JOIN US IN MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE EVIDENCE IS HANDLED PROPERLY.
BUT IF IT'S NO LONGER NEEDED, WE CAN HAVE THAT SPACE FOR PROPERTY THAT IS IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO JUST THE PROCESS OF WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE FORENSIC, DR. STOUT DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
HE NEEDS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
IT'S A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE SYSTEM.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE TO LET HOUSTONIANS RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY KNOW THAT IT'S A NEW DAY OF PROPERLY HANDLING EVIDENCE.
AND I'LL LET THE, UH, CHIEFS AND THE PROSECUTE SEAN THEORY EXPLAIN THE VOLUME.
JUST ONE EXAMPLE, WE GOT 400,000 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA IN STORAGE THAT THE RATS ARE THE ONLY ONES ENJOYING IT.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE CHIEF DIAZ AT THIS TIME, WHO I REALLY BELIEVE IS PROVEN TO BE THE BEST POLICE CHIEF IN AMERICA.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT HIS DEPARTMENT DOING THEIR SURGES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ADDRESSING NOISE AND VIOLATIONS OF TRAFFIC LAWS AT SOME OF OUR ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.
BUT EVEN BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO HIM, THANK HIM FOR HIS OUTREACH TEAM, HELPING THE HOMELESS, GETTING THEM OFF THE STREETS INTO SHELTERS, THE ENTIRETY OF THIS WEEK.
CHIEF DS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, JUST STAYING ON POINT, FOCUSING ON THE PROCESSES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, HOW IT'S A SYSTEM.
AND FOR TOO LONG, UH, OUR OFFICE THAT I'M TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR, IT HASN'T BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR PROPERTY ROOM.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 1.2 MILLION PIECES OF EVIDENCE HERE AT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE NOTES FROM A 1947 HOMICIDE THAT WE STILL KEEP.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED OVER 400,000 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA.
UH, WE, WE HAVE INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE KILOS OF COCAINE FROM THE NINETIES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT TO PRISON, HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED FROM THE SENTENCE, AND WE STILL STORE IT, RIGHT? SO AT, AT A COST, AT AN ENVIRONMENT THAT I'M HAVING TO PUT EMPLOYEES IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS AND IT, AND IT'S A TREMENDOUS COST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK JOHN TIER FOR ON THE NINTH DAY OF HIS 10TH DAY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION.
HE'S HERE MAKING AN IMPACT IMMEDIATELY INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UH, THE MAYOR'S BEEN HERE A WHOLE YEAR, AND HE'S FOCUSED ON THIS OFFICE BEING HEALTHY BECAUSE THE PROPERTY ROOM, HOW WE STORE EVIDENCE, IS ABSOLUTELY A CORNERSTONE OF WHAT THIS OFFICE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING EVERY DAY.
I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE TALENTED PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT HAVE RETIRED THAT ARE NOW WORKING FOR DR. STOUT THAT KEPT UP WITH IT, STAYED ON TOP OF IT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HERE.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET RID OF THE ATMS, THE CHAINS, UH, THE 2000 BACKPACKS, THE, UH, YOU, YOU NAME IT PRO.
THERE'S PROBABLY FOUR OR 5,000 BICYCLES IN HERE, RIGHT? SO IT, IT'S A HUGE COST, A HUGE PROCESS.
IT'S VERY COSTLY TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH HOW WE DO IT.
[00:05:01]
I, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO, UH, THE NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY.I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS, UH, BEING A FRIEND OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, WE, WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS A LONG TIME.
UH, HE'S GONNA BRING IT, AND THIS SHOWS IT ON THE 10TH DAY OF HIS OFFICES.
I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR LETTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BE SERVANTS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, HAVING US WORK IN THIS FANTASTIC COMMUNITY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, MAYOR, THANK YOU.
UH, WE GOT TO HAVE BREAKFAST TODAY AND, AND JUST SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO COLLABORATIVELY WORK TOGETHER GOING FORWARD ON.
UM, WE SHARE A LOT OF THE SAME VISIONS IN, IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER WHILE STILL BEING EQUITABLE TO EVERYONE.
AND CHIEF DIAZ, AS HE SAID, WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER, UM, SINCE HIS DAYS AS A RANGER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD HAVE PICKED A BETTER PERSON, MAYOR TO, TO HELP LEAD OUR CITY.
UM, BUT WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT FIXING AN ISSUE AND A, AND A PROBLEM THAT WE'VE ALL KNOWN ABOUT, UM, IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR DECADES.
UM, I, I KNEW THAT WE HAD AN ISSUE IN NOT JUST THIS PROPERTY ROOM, BUT PROPERTY ROOMS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY SINCE I STARTED AS, AS A PROSECUTOR AND REALLY AS AN INTERN IN 2005.
UH, AND SO I'M ACTUALLY SOMEWHAT GRATEFUL THAT, THAT SOMETHING CAME TO A HEAD AND, AND FORCED US TO DEAL WITH THIS IMMEDIATELY.
AND SO WHAT I WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW IS GO OVER THE STEPS THAT MY OFFICE HAS TAKEN AS OF YESTERDAY TO REALLY START TO ADDRESS THIS ACUTE PROBLEM, THIS IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.
AND IN SO DOING, WE'RE GOING TO START TO FIX A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT HAS HIT EVERY ONE OF OUR, UM, PROPERTY ROOMS, WHICH IS, WE DON'T DESTROY EVIDENCE WHEN IT NO LONGER MAKES ANY SENSE TO KEEP IT.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO DESTROY NARCOTICS EVIDENCE IF IT HAS BEEN IN ITS POSSESSION ANYTIME SINCE 2005.
REGARDLESS IF WE'VE DISMISSED THE CASE, REGARDLESS IF AN INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN CONVICTED AND ALREADY FINISHED HIS TERM, REGARDLESS IF WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A DEFENDANT.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STARTING TO MOVE THAT UP AND WE WILL BE DESTROYING ANY NARCOTICS EVIDENCE THAT HAS BEEN OBTAINED PRIOR TO 2015.
HPD AS OF YESTERDAY, WAS GIVING US A NUMBER OF CASES OF THEIR LARGE TICKET ITEMS ON TOP OF ALL OF THE THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF NARCOTICS THAT THAT WILL COVER.
WE SPENT THE ENTIRE NIGHT GOING THROUGH CASES WHERE HPD WAS NOT TOLD ABOUT THE DISPOSITION OF A CASE, WHETHER WE DISMISSED IT, WHETHER SOMEONE HAS BEEN CONVICTED ANYTHING BY NOON TODAY, WE WILL HAVE A LIST CHIEF FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE CASES.
AND WE WILL HAVE PROPERTY DESTRUCTION ORDERS READY TO GO ON THOSE.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO FINANCIALLY HELPING THIS IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.
IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO DESTROY ILLICIT NARCOTICS.
AND SO THE DA'S OFFICE IS GONNA UTILIZE FUNDS THAT WE CONTROL TO HELP THE CITY WITH THIS IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.
AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE CREATED A NEW POSITION IN OUR PROPERTY DESTRUCTION, WHICH IS A SENIOR ATTORNEY THAT WILL LIAISE WITH HPD, WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WITH EVERY OTHER AGENCY IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HELP FACILITATE DESTRUCTIONS OF PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE CASE.
UM, WE ARE ALSO WORKING, AND WE WILL SIT WITH THE JUDICIARY AND WORK TO GET PROPERTY DIS DESTRUCTION FORMS SIGNED BY THE JUDGE, BY THE DEFENDANT, BY THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY, AND BY THE PROSECUTOR AT THE TIME OF PLEA BARGAIN.
IF WE ARE PLEADING A CASE SAYING THAT EVERYONE AGREES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS GUILTY OF THE CRIME, WHY ARE WE HOLDING ON TO PIECES OF EVIDENCE FROM THAT CASE FOR DECADES? SO WE ARE GONNA DEAL WITH THAT AT THE TIME OF PLEA.
I THINK IN RELATIVELY SHORT ORDER, WE WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY ROOMS SO THAT WE CAN DO WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE HERE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WHICH IS GET THEM BACK OUT ON THE STREETS, PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS.
SO WE ARE COMMITTED FROM THE DA'S OFFICE TO DOING OUR PART TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS DECADES IN THE MAKING.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON STANDING UP AT UP HERE INHERITED THIS PROBLEM, NOT FROM OUR PREDECESSORS, BUT FROM THEIR PREDECESSORS AND THEIR PREDECESSORS.
AND THE BUCK HAS TO STOP RIGHT HERE AND IT WILL TODAY.
WE ARE GOING TO START CHANGING IT, AS CHIEF SAID, IN MY 10TH
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DAY.STOUT'S GONNA SPEAK NOW, BUT, UH, HE'S TOLD ME THAT HE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE I CALL HIM ABOUT ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR A QUESTION.
AND I DON'T WANT TO HELP ANY OF THE PRESS WRITE THEIR STORY, BUT THE LEAD OUGHT TO BE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND HBD IS IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'RE GOING TO FREE UP OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN SUPERVISING THE EVIDENCE IN THE PROPERTY ROOM BACK OUT ON THE STREET.
SO IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON RESIDENTS BECAUSE COLLABORATION IS WORKING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
STOUT'S TESTIFIED BEFORE MY COMMITTEE IN AUSTIN FOR YEARS, HE'S SPOKEN TO THE BROKEN SYSTEM OF RETAINING EVIDENCE WAY BEYOND THE NECESSARY TIME PERIOD.
THANK YOU TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR PLACING RESOURCES INTO THIS EFFORT.
AND OF COURSE, I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED MY APPRECIATION TO THE CHIEF WHO IS, UH, DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
UH, YOU, HOW CAN YOU GUARANTEE THIS EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT NEEDED TO TRY TO CONSULT CASES WELL BE, UH, SUSPENDED.
SO WE'VE ALREADY RELEASED ENOUGH INFORMATION WE WILL TALK TO ABOUT, TALK ABOUT THE SL CASES OFFLINE.
BUT, UH, THE GUARANTEE IS THAT EVERYTHING'S TRACKED.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE NOTES FROM A HOMICIDE THAT HAPPENED IN 1947.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN PROPERLY ADDRESSED.
THE TEAM HERE NOW THAT'S PUTTING IT TOGETHER HAS STAYED ON TOP OF IT.
WE'VE MODERNIZED THIS MOST AS WE LOOK AT THIS FACILITY'S BRAND NEW.
IT WASN'T LIKE THIS 10 YEARS AGO, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
BUT THE SPACE CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE FOR US.
UH, AND I WANT TO, BEFORE I FORGET, I WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE POLICE AND COLONEL MARTIN BECAUSE THEY ALLOW US TO BURN AT NO COST TO US OVER 700 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA ROUTINELY.
'CAUSE AS THE DA SAID, IT DOES COST A LOT OF MONEY TO DESTROY THE EVIDENCE.
BUT AS FAR AS THE INFORMATION, ALL OF THIS STUFF HAS BEEN HERE FROM THE NINETIES, SOME OF IT FROM THE EIGHTIES.
IT JUST, IT HAS GOT TO STOP TODAY.
AND WE'VE GOTTA MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT OUR, THAT OUR EVIDENCE ROOM, UH, IS HEALTHY.
THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT THIS OFFICE WITH THE MAYOR AND THE DA'S OFFICE ARE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROCESSING EVIDENCE CORRECTLY.
WE COLLECT IT, WE TAG IT, WE BRING IT IN HERE.
AND IT'S VERY PART, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS WHEN WE GO TO JURIS TO WHEN WE TAKE IT TO THE DA'S OFFICE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S COLLECTED AND WE'RE NOT STORING STUFF THAT IS ESSENTIALLY IS, HAS NO MORE VALUE WITHIN THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
UH, THIS FACILITY, REMEMBER? ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING'S TRACKED.
IT'S GOT A, A, A BARCODE ON IT AND TRACKED, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF MY CHIEF OF STAFF HAS SOME EVIDENCE SO I CAN SHOW IT FOR DEMONSTRATIVE PURPOSES.
I'M GONNA BRING SOME, JUST SO THE AMERICAN JUST TO SHOW IT TO YOU BECAUSE I'M A VERY, UM, VISUAL PERSON.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THE OFFICE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS COCAINE FROM A CASE IN THE NINETIES, 1996.
RIGHT? WE'RE STILL STORING IT IN THE BUILDING, RIGHT? HAS NO, NO VALUE TO US ANYMORE.
THIS IS MARIJUANA, LOOSE MARIJUANA FROM 1993.
RIGHT? SO NO VALUE OTHER THAN WE'RE STORING IT AND KEEPING IT HERE.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO AS A PROFESSIONAL POLICE AGENCY.
AGAIN, UM, TALK ABOUT ANY MORE OF THE IONS THAT MAY HAVE, UH, I'LL LET, UH, DR. STOUT ADDRESS IT.
'CAUSE WE THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT.
WE DID, WE DID HAVE, UH, ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT WE DID HAVE SOME ROSE.
WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE HEALTHY AND MAKE THE REASON IS BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT STORAGE OF OLD OUTDATED EVIDENCE.
ONCE, ONCE WE GET RID OF THAT, THEN WE'LL BE A HEALTHIER OFFICE AND THE
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OFFICE WILL BE HEALTHIER FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO WORK IN.UH, THE QUESTION, WHAT THE QUESTIONS FROM, UH, DAISY, IS THAT, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE PROBLEM IS FOR US STORING THIS EVIDENCE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
EN ESPAN DAISY QUESTION HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW JUST ENOUGH TO GET IN TROUBLE, BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU, IT'S GONNA BE IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO, TO BURN IT, TO BURN THE MARIJUANA.
IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
AND WE HAVE THE BUDGET FOR, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE MAYOR, UH, AND ASK THE, THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW US THOSE FUNDS TO MAINTAIN THIS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO SHORE THAT UP.
CREATE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT HERE TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO US CONSTANTLY ASKING FOR TREASURE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO MAINTAIN STUFF THAT'S OUTDATED FOR DECADES.
UM, YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW BAD THIS ISSUE WAS? HOW MANY PIECES IMPACTED HOW BAD IT WAS? WELL, THE REAL, WELL, WE, WE, WE, IT'S THE, THE, THE, THE EVIDENCE ACCUMULATION IS, IS ENORMOUS.
IT'S 1.2 PIECE, 1.2 MILLION PIECES OF EVIDENCE WITH REGARD TO THE, THE RODENTS.
WE, WE DID RECOVER OR FIND THAT WE HAD SOME MICE INSIDE SOME OF THE OLDER MARIJUANA.
SO WHEN WE DISCOVERED THAT, WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED IT, SET OUT THE TRAPS, THE NORMAL EXTERMINATOR STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING THE, WE ADDRESSED IT IMMEDIATELY.
WE DIDN'T LET IT BECOME AN ISSUE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY.
HAVE YOU EVIDENCE? I I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER.
I, I, I CAN TELL YOU ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE, UH, THAT WAS USED, THAT'S CURRENT, BUT WE HAVE A REPORTING PERIOD AND WE REPORTED IT APPROPRIATELY TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IN YOUR REPORTS, TALK ABOUT WHY HAVE EVIDENCE THAT IS POTENTIALLY BE, BUT IT'S IN THE AREA'S SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE AND SECURE.
WELL, THE AREA IS SAFE AND SECURE.
SO THAT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT, SO THE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A RODENT IN MARIJUANA THAT'S BEEN HERE SINCE 1986, UH, IS, IS A DIFFERENT, IT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A, A A, AN ISSUE WITH CURRENT EVIDENCE.
IT IS THE OLD EVIDENCE THAT'S BEING STORED NEAR THE CURRENT EVIDENCE THAT'S STILL PENDING, UH, THE LEGAL PROCESS AS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS EVIDENCE WAS OBJECT.
SO GIVE ME, IT WAS OCTOBER WHEN THEY FIRST NOTICED.
AND IT WAS IN OCTOBER WHEN WE FIRST NOTICED IT.
AND, UH, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU GUYS TO NOTICE, BE ABLE TO COME TO THE PLACE TODAY WHERE IMMEDIATELY.
RIGHT, BUT IT'S, EVERYTHING HAS A COST, RIGHT? SO WHERE DO WE TAKE IT? WE CAN'T JUST GO SET IT OUT AND BURN IT.
SO IT TAKES A, A, A HOLISTIC APPROACH FROM EVERY ASPECT OF GOVERNMENT.
THE DA'S OFFICE, UH, AGAIN, THE, THE MAYOR MADE IT VERY CLEAR EARLY ON IN HIS FIRST YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING THE EVIDENCE PROCESS OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IT, IT, FOR US, IT'S STORING IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE COST.
A LOT OF STAFFING HAS TO DO, UH, HAS TO WORK THROUGH IT.
AND HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL HAVE THE APPROPRIATE, UH, PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE TILL WE HAVE A CLEANER, LEANER, UH, FACILITY.
SO THAT, UH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE APPROPRIATELY AND,
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AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR EVIDENCE IS APPROPRIATELY DISTRIBUTED TO THE DA'S OFFICE.THE DA'S OFFICE CAN CALL AND WE HAVE IT RIGHT TO GO.
WHO LET DR. STOUT TALK ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS.
SO I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER.
AND, AND PART OF WHAT THIS IS, IS THE PROPERTY OPERATION.
WE'RE TRANSITIONING THAT OUT OF HPD INTO HFSC.
UM, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME NATIONALLY DISCUSSING ABOUT PROPERTY ISSUES.
THIS, THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR PROPERTY ROOMS EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
RODENTS, BUGS AND FUNGUS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
IT IS A CHALLENGE STORING LARGE QUANTITIES OF DRUGS.
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE DRUG MATERIALS? THEY ARE CHEMICALLY HAZARDOUS, THEY'RE FLAMMABLE, THEY'RE EDIBLE, THEY'RE TASTY, THEY'RE ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
YOU CAN'T STORE LARGE QUANTITIES OF DRUGS WITHOUT EXPECTING SOME OF THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN.
I GOTTA GIVE HPD AN AWFUL LOT OF CREDIT FOR NOTICING THIS, STARTING TO TAKE EFFORTS ON IT.
THEY'VE HAD PROFESSIONAL EXTERMINATORS INVOLVED, BUT THIS IS DIFFICULT GETTING THESE RODENTS OUTTA THERE.
UM, NOW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AS THIS TRANSITION HAPPENS NATIONALLY, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ACCREDITATION PROGRAM FOR FORENSIC PROPERTY OPERATIONS.
THERE NOW IS HFSC WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, IT WAS THE FIRST ONE IN THE NATION TO GET, UH, IT'S CALLED AR 31 81.
CAN GIVE YOU THE DETAILS ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE THE FIRST ONES TO GET THE ACCREDITATION AROUND OUR PROPERTY OPERATIONS.
SO AS WE DO THIS TRANSITION, WE WILL OVERLAY THOSE ACCREDITATIONS ONTO THIS.
SO THAT GIVES A LAYER OF OVERSIGHT TO THIS, THAT NATIONALLY HAS NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.
DOES THAT HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THIS? OKAY.
ANYTHING ELSE? IF NOT, WE GOTTA GO MAYOR.
WE, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE SINCE FRIDAY NIGHT.
WE'VE DONE SOME VERY INNOVATIVE THINGS.
WE'VE HAD A MOBILE WARMING CENTER, A METRO BUS IS GOING ACROSS OUR CITY, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET ON THE BUS TO GO TO SHELTER.
THE SJOGREN CENTER, THE STAR OF HOPE.
UH, WE'VE MONITORED THE WEATHER THE ENTIRE WEEK.
WE OPENED THE FONDE CENTER YESTERDAY DUE TO THE WETNESS.
WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH ALL THE AGENCIES, CERTAINLY THE CHARITIES AND THE NONPROFITS.
SO, UH, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT ANYONE WOULD LOSE THEIR LIFE.
WE HAVEN'T, UH, DETERMINED THE, THE CAUSE.
OFTENTIMES IT'S EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS, SOME HUGE ELEMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.
THE GENTLEMAN THAT PASSED AT A METRO SITE EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE BEGGED HIM, THE OUTREACH TEAMS FROM HPD, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF SATTERWHITE, MIKE NICHOLS.
THEY BEGGED HIM TO GO TO A SHELTER AND HE REFUSED.
SO WE HAVE A VERY CHALLENGING ISSUE, BUT THE CITY AND ALL THE RESOURCES ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE REDUCED HOMELESSNESS BEFORE WE HAVE A STORM.
THAT WOULD BE THE BEST PREVENTION.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE ADEQUATE SHELTER.
AND, UM, THE LOSS OF LIFE IS ALWAYS A TRAGEDY.
IF NOT, UH, THANK YOU FOR MY, UH, PARTNERS.
I'M, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TIER, UH, HOUSTONIANS RESIDENTS HARRIS COUNTY CAN EXPECT MORE COLLABORATION GOING FORWARD.
WE ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HAVE A SAFE COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY THEIR PLACE, TO WORK, LIVE, AND ENJOY THE QUALITY OF LIFE.